Pouding Chômeur

Name: Pouding Chômeur
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Cuisine: Québécois
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups (180 g) all-purpose flour; 2 teaspoons (8 g) baking powder; 1/4 teaspoon (1.5 g) fine salt; 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, softened; 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar; 2 large eggs, room temperature; 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract; 3/4 cup (180 ml) whole milk; 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) pure maple syrup; 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream; 2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter; 1/4 teaspoon (1.5 g) fine salt

Published by Fork Around & Find Out Kitchen — presented in the Lila editorial voice. Editorial standards

Quick Answer

Cream butter and sugar into a simple cake batter, spread it in an 8-inch dish, then pour a hot maple-cream mixture over the top without stirring. Bake at 350°F until the cake is golden and the maple sauce bubbles underneath.

Jump to Recipe

Pouding Chômeur is one of those desserts that looks backwards until the oven explains it. A plain butter cake batter goes into the dish first, then a generous maple-cream sauce is poured over the top. As it bakes, the cake rises and the sauce settles underneath, so every spoonful comes with its own warm maple pudding.

Do not stir after the sauce goes on. That separation is the whole mechanism. The cake is done when the top is deeply golden and set in the center, but you should still see sauce bubbling around the edges. Let it stand 10 to 15 minutes so the sauce thickens slightly before serving.

Prep20 minutes

Cook40 minutes

Total1 hr 15 min

Serves8 servings

DifficultyEasy

Ingredients

Servings

1 1/2 cups (180 g) all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons (8 g) baking powder
1/4 teaspoon (1.5 g) fine salt
1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
3/4 cup (180 ml) whole milk
Maple sauce: 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) pure maple syrup
1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream
2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter
1/4 teaspoon (1.5 g) fine salt

Instructions

1Heat the oven to 350°F. Butter an 8-inch square or similar 2-quart baking dish and place it on a rimmed sheet pan.
2Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together.
3Beat the softened butter and granulated sugar until pale and creamy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla. Add the dry ingredients in two additions, alternating with the milk.
4Spoon the thick batter into the prepared dish and smooth it into an even layer.
5Combine the maple syrup, heavy cream, butter, and salt in a saucepan. Heat just until steaming and the butter melts, stirring gently. Do not reduce the sauce.
6Slowly pour the hot maple mixture evenly over the cake batter. Do not stir; the layers are supposed to remain separate going into the oven.
7Bake 35 to 40 minutes, until the cake is deep golden and set in the center while maple sauce still bubbles around the edges.
8Let stand 10 to 15 minutes. Spoon the cake into bowls and pull plenty of maple sauce from the bottom of the dish over each serving.

Nutrition Information

Estimated per serving: 1 of 8 servings.

540Calories

6 gProtein

68 gCarbohydrates

28 gTotal Fat

17 gSaturated Fat

1 gFiber

48 gTotal Sugars

300 mgSodium

135 mgCholesterol

Estimated from the ingredients and quantities in this recipe using standard food-composition values. Brand choices, trimming, cooking loss, optional ingredients, and actual portion size can change the numbers. How we calculate nutrition estimates.

Pro Tips

Use pure maple syrup, not pancake syrup. Maple is the defining flavor and the sauce is too prominent for a substitute to hide.
Do not stir the sauce into the batter. The oven needs those separate layers to create the cake-over-sauce structure.
Serve warm, not blazing hot. A short rest thickens the sauce enough to cling to the cake instead of running like syrup.

Substitutions

whole milk → 2% milk The cake will be slightly less rich but still tender.

heavy cream → half-and-half The sauce will be lighter and a bit thinner but still works.

8-inch square dish → a 2-quart oval casserole Use a dish with similar capacity and begin checking at the same time.

Storage Instructions

Refrigerate leftovers covered for up to 4 days. Reheat individual servings gently so the maple sauce loosens again before serving.

Make Ahead

Bake the dessert earlier in the day, refrigerate after cooling, and reheat covered at 300°F until warm. It is best within a day because the cake gradually absorbs more of the sauce.

Allergen Note

Contains wheat, egg, and milk.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Pouding Chômeur mean?

The name is commonly translated as unemployed person's pudding. It began as an economical Québécois dessert and later evolved into richer versions made with maple syrup and cream.

Why do I pour the sauce over the batter?

The layers rearrange as the dessert bakes. The cake rises while the hot maple mixture settles underneath and becomes the sauce.

Can I use pancake syrup instead of maple syrup?

It is not recommended. The sauce makes up a large part of the dessert, so pure maple syrup is important to the flavor.

How do I know Pouding Chômeur is done?

The top should be golden and set through the center, but sauce should still be bubbling at the edges. The bottom is meant to remain saucy.

Can Pouding Chômeur be reheated?

Yes. Reheat covered in a low oven or warm individual servings in the microwave. The sauce loosens again as it warms.